Mich. officer critically injured pursuing speeding motorcyclist

Family and friends of a Waterford police officer are praying for her recovery

By Taryn Asher
My Fox Detroit

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Family and friends of a Waterford Police Officer seriously injured in a crash are praying for her recovery.

The officer hit one vehicle and then a tree while pursuing a speeding motorcyclist on Wednesday afternoon.

Waterford Police Chief Daniel McCaw says the department is asking for information from the public as they search for the driver of the motorcycle.

"I could hear it screaming down the street," said Diane Carr. "I just heard like a crash and then a huge boom."

However, her husband, Henry, who was standing on his front lawn, was the first to see it. It started with a motorcycle flying down Waterford Township's Elizabeth Lake Road.

"Over a hundred miles an hour just flying by. All you saw was a blip and heard the noise. All of a sudden, this gentleman in this VW, the young kid was turning left onto our street. The cop car came flying over here — that's a small hill as you can see — and she hit him."

Officer Annette Miller was pursuing a motorcycle believed to be speeding in Pontiac and had just crossed into Waterford. Witnesses say the officer came over the hill and clipped a blue VW. The 20-year-old driver was trying to turn left onto Fernbarry. He spun out and landed in their yard.

"I just grabbed the young boy here. He was bleeding out of his nose and everything. We laid him down here," Henry Carr explained.

Swerving to avoid the VW, Officer Miller hopped the curb and slammed into a tree. The force of the crash wrapped her SUV around the tree, flipping it up on its side. Her police canine was caged in the back.

It took about 40 minutes, but emergency crews using the jaws of life were finally able to free Officer Miller and her tracking dog. The dog injured his paw and will be fine. Officer Miller's injuries were much more severe. She remains in critical condition.

"I'm very deeply concerned about the safety and welfare of our employees. Quite frankly, I'm shocked and crushed with an accident of this nature and I pray for her recovery," said Waterford Township Supervisor Carl Solden.

Witnesses say before the crash, all they heard was a buzzing of a motorcycle. No police sirens or flashing lights. Accident re-constructionists are investigating what happened and who is at-fault, but the driver of the VW told witnesses he never saw the police SUV coming until it was too late.

"The poor kid was so shaken up. He just kept saying I didn't see her. I couldn't get out of the way," Diane Carr said.

The 20-year-old driver of the VW from Waterford suffered just minor injuries. He was taken to the hospital and released.

We're told Officer Miller is suffering from internal injuries. The Waterford Township Police Department is asking the community to keep her and her family in their prayers.

Meanwhile, police are looking for the motorcyclist. We do have a slight description. It's a black sport-style motorcycle that was being driven by a man who was wearing a white helmet with a gold or a dark-stripped and tan pants. Anybody with any information about this individual is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.